{"chapterKey":"sri-lanka/gurugal-oya","title":"Gurugal Oya","regionSlug":"sri-lanka","status":"published","photos":[{"sha":"849f3fcce668a8bac2226562961b8c66a363df1f8a34c596469373296395fd6f","caption":"The road descends a long grade before passing the first rank of terraces.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/84b68407ea85eab5e84c52fef0349c03","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a3d053ff696c8d42c7496b6fa36c98bc","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e98a0341cbc4e278101d1f0be7103b1d","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0ce17f1edb824e7b9a25b4f032f7343a","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/849f3fcce668a8bac2226562961b8c66","altText":"The road descends a long grade before passing the first rank of terraces."},{"sha":"54aa5a953a508ea12de23883e5e496cfa2b061898a698f34e0dd8df38b5f7090","caption":"We've timed our arrival for the annual task of mudding the paddies.","width":1224,"height":1632,"aspect":0.75,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/440a81ac92d470d66dfc0856e3b6b890","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fadb0b5c29b0ffd35ca28ef491f80e4a","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4eb875dba819b4924d6379f6297ece8e","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/54aa5a953a508ea12de23883e5e496cf","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/54aa5a953a508ea12de23883e5e496cf","altText":"We've timed our arrival for the annual task of mudding the paddies."},{"sha":"77952c3bba49fee1fd4ceb2ea68e105de8238403cf8b5deebc6fec6375bbff2f","caption":"The terrace walls must be weeded and trimmed.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/745885f991f2c08042cf81139a68b52b","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/88ca802d457ddf857041cef8756eb396","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fd73e4d6bacea1c4fe893a3e06a6edbd","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e353ca942d14deee54b340211eb5f330","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/77952c3bba49fee1fd4ceb2ea68e105d","altText":"The terrace walls must be weeded and trimmed."},{"sha":"2044c08b8c349ddd6fc0a1969f6d52e4ccb18b24600dd777ba5816bacd54642f","caption":"A gang at work.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/757b5038ea535614d82a673a87507c12","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ac5145179a25771f3d5fdf62574951ec","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0fd924fbb0126e4fde18860145fcca5a","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5a0d43ce044723c79958f016339ab516","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2044c08b8c349ddd6fc0a1969f6d52e4","altText":"A gang at work."},{"sha":"0ddb9bac9750cb1e4e70bbb1a67901f4cbbbb246e89e4c595cf2496cc7aca915","caption":"Trimming the terrace bund.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/af2cb7dfac48b220e4a1d780ecadd3f1","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/bb4abb55fb40d23ac20874d06bee69d1","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/49550d1c479f94a0255f0e080cd8cea0","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/79b224c9d3a2ffeba44e99c9f19ec117","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0ddb9bac9750cb1e4e70bbb1a67901f4","altText":"Trimming the terrace bund."},{"sha":"98b0e75ba1212c9d55b5ceda2ef34c70f70f9a440149d1b0a0ed992590c86aa9","caption":"A nearby set of terraces has yet to be cleaned up.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8579c4012519ada8bbda5453f52b68dd","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c55422ade7c0b5b7f8cf229496594594","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/036b999a62f6db4e17e3c62326f525b4","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5fbd19809981a08db63f4ce269a97eac","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/98b0e75ba1212c9d55b5ceda2ef34c70","altText":"A nearby set of terraces has yet to be cleaned up."},{"sha":"d1261947da3a88017ff02ad2338f34dd1a211f01586006083c9250849cd9bf79","caption":"Finally, a glimpse of the valley, with a couple of threshing floors in view.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e8515a112c5d35ddc77241c287b7581b","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/11103630ecb38b40fd426e5ade5f4a91","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/07b65624f999c611f4e0b9a3e47f8240","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9f2eb55df3a9852ba09191d8e8607429","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d1261947da3a88017ff02ad2338f34dd","altText":"Finally, a glimpse of the valley, with a couple of threshing floors in view."},{"sha":"5feaf75da0981c6a4364d87b098edaef9e9427c48993d66ddba1df91a2732d7b","caption":"The limits of cultivable land are determined by the elevation of the irrigation canals running on both sides of the valley.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9cfc35df04001861deeff6e9ecc497b2","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/08b7cf5a566f005a425cc6fed064a678","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b606240696d25b1f15b246d9e8c8afd6","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1ca699957d3cf1d52acde056735ba3da","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5feaf75da0981c6a4364d87b098edaef","altText":"The limits of cultivable land are determined by the elevation of the irrigation canals running on both sides of the valley."},{"sha":"983c05af13d384747fae8824bb2ffb833890bd289ca1e4372bce80981f73a729","caption":"Along the axis of the valley, the tiny Gurugal Oya itself.","width":1224,"height":1632,"aspect":0.75,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0603c46879e4132ed63649662fff9d90","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/47cdff4edadb6c2d11571a255578b4ca","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9cb9a7c70f88eed606e42536f5ae11bb","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/983c05af13d384747fae8824bb2ffb83","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/983c05af13d384747fae8824bb2ffb83","altText":"Along the axis of the valley, the tiny Gurugal Oya itself."},{"sha":"cafb062067a874b154265d92740db4b9e60f57d4f01ad76c731116dad5f99bf5","caption":"Many of the paddies are absurdly small, yet some of the villagers are reasonably prosperous, perhaps (even likely) because they or family members are earning money outside the valley.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/416d793b8eb3b43fe67eb30b614601b8","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6bc6df591e14b55a06fecac8aa6ddae1","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/161bd2c9f4dba5b43e8360ca8ceb040f","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7fd383b2006614f729d9a448704b6810","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cafb062067a874b154265d92740db4b9","altText":"Many of the paddies are absurdly small, yet some of the villagers are reasonably prosperous, perhaps even likely because they or family memb"},{"sha":"6e99417a2f049d1adbce7ed8a20601241f2fdbf2faeec2d22bc299910860aeb4","caption":"The harvest occurs at different dates in different parts of the valley. Here, women winnow unhusked paddy.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/46207a3bdec8eae5422abac81782caff","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/408d461ba559bc6c7b00d6e871119266","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/798016f53e2e885ebcb0535ee7340ce6","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/bbce2d8ec8da41a5fc3c25fdd66fb958","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6e99417a2f049d1adbce7ed8a2060124","altText":"The harvest occurs at different dates in different parts of the valley. Here, women winnow unhusked paddy."},{"sha":"3ceee7458d64a7b68577be42219ed57ac817a5082609b3d048965dd6822201e7","caption":"Downstream a few hundred yards, another group of fields is not yet ready for harvest.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/939061d8a58b86a183d810be472459ea","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5f1bc2fba204d706bbbdf7eba51f27fd","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c8be53f7b7c58de753e0a10fc7b7745c","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4673720aae43f034849dd0c1e525e79d","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3ceee7458d64a7b68577be42219ed57a","altText":"Downstream a few hundred yards, another group of fields is not yet ready for harvest."}],"createdAt":"2022-02-28T01:34:38.000Z","updatedAt":"2022-02-28T01:34:38.000Z","lead":"The Gurugal Oya flows from Loolecondera northeastward toward the Mahaweli. Like the Talatu Oya and Atabage Oya, it supports a tiny pocket of very productive farmland.","visitedDate":"2005","publishedDate":"2005-06-28T04:00:00.000Z","originalUrl":"https://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=376&chapterid=976&picturesize=medium","heroSha":"849f3fcce668a8bac2226562961b8c66a363df1f8a34c596469373296395fd6f","authorLabel":"Bryan Wallach","_meta":{"sameAs":[]}}